Minecraft Teaching Resources
What is Minecraft?
My own kids are, to put it mildly, obsessed with playing Minecraft. Therefore, I figured I better add a post of teaching and other learning resources! This is especially true since I assume there are many more kids who love this game. For those not familiar, Minecraft is a game about breaking and placing blocks. At first, people playing the game built structures to protect against nocturnal monsters. However, as the game grew players worked together to create wonderful, imaginative things (taken from Minecraft.net).
To be sure, there has been plenty of buzz in the media about the game. Moreover, many have praised its educational benefits (my son’s middle school even has a club dedicated to it)! So while I hate when my kids spend too much time on the computer, I feel better knowing they are collaborating with friends and working to create something together.
And while this is all well and good, I’d also love it if they would turn off their electronics sometimes too. 🙂 Thus, I’ve found these resources which should help give your kids or students a way to enjoy the game while having fun and learning without using electronic devices!
Lesson Plans/Activities
- First, check out this s
ite for teachers to get lesson plans using the Common Core and Minecraft!Great collection focused mainly on grades K-5. - Ideas for playing the game in the classroom
- Using the game in an Art Curriculum
- History Project – Ideas and Lesson Plan
- Ideas for using Minecraft as a means to teach First-Graders
- Resources for Teaching Math
- Language Arts Lessons and Ideas
- Online Puzzles
Printables
- Word Search Puzzle
- Word Search Puzzle #2
- Crossword Puzzle
- Materials Vocabulary – Printable Worksheet
- http://paperminecraft.com/: Great site where you can print out characters and templates to build your own world out of paper!
- Worlds Coloring-in Pages
- FREE Printable Party Banner
- Various Printables (many that can be personalized) ($)
- Tons of Coloring Pages
- Logo Coloring Page
- Large Creeper free Papercraft printable template
- Giant Steve printable papercraft character
- Free Steve head, printable template mask
- Free life sized diamond pickaxe cut out papercraft template
Miscellaneous Resources
- Interesting post explaining the game and why it is beneficial to students.
- Forbes Article: Using Minecraft as a Teaching Tool
- The Minecraft Teacher – Great blog chronicling a teacher’ use of the game in the classroom.
- Incredible educational Minecraft inspiration from all over
- Educational building blocks: how Minecraft is used in classrooms
- Minecraft spawns classroom lessons (Great photo gallery here)
- Messy learning
- Transforming the Way We Learn: Why Minecraft is an Amazing Learning Tool
- Article: Minecrafting the Classroom
- Minecraft.edu: Collaboration of a small team of educators and programmers from the United States and Finland to make it easy to unlock the power of Minecraft in YOUR classroom.
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